Fire Causes About $1 Million Damage To Three Buildings At UWM's Peck School Of The Arts

MILWAUKEE - A fire hit three buildings Saturday night at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Peck School of the Arts, causing an estimated $1 million in fire, water, and smoke damage and no injuries.

UWM police responded to the fire around 10 p.m. Saturday and officials said the fire is believed to be accidental after initial investigation. They believe the fire started in a work area on the west side of the theater, where items are built for theater production, potentially spurring the fire. A group had been working in that area the night of the fire but had left between 8 to 8:30 p.m.

The Peck art, music, and theater buildings are closed and classes will be relocated for one to two weeks. Dean of the Peck School of the Arts Scott Emmons said theater activities might be relocated until fall. According to a report from Fox 6, Emmons said the fire has had a major impact on the students final theater production, "Arcadia." The set had been built for the plays and the first show was only two weeks away.

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